ILOILO – Alarmed by the risks children increasingly face in the digital world, the Iloilo Provincial Government is stepping up efforts to protect young Ilonggos from cyberbullying, harmful online content and other threats linked to unregulated social media use.
The provincial government, through the Office of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer (OPSWDO), has partnered with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) for the “Safe Minds, Safe Online: Learning Session on PRIME – Protecting Children in the Digital Space through Awareness and Action” on Tuesday, September 15, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The initiative seeks to equip students, parents, teachers and other community stakeholders with practical knowledge and tools to prevent online harm, protect children’s digital well-being and promote the safe, responsible and informed use of digital platforms.
It will particularly tackle digital safety, children’s online privacy, and the prevention of and response to cyberbullying.
DICT-Western Visayas described “Safe Minds, Safe Online” as a community-based child online protection initiative designed to address risks confronting children and young people in digital spaces.
The learning session will bring together government officials, child-rights advocates and representatives of some of the world’s biggest digital platforms.
Among the invited speakers and resource persons are Kit Brian Valderrama of DICT; Juan Paolo Fajardo, Deputy Privacy Commissioner of the National Privacy Commission; Yves Gonzales, head of Public Policy of TikTok Philippines; Priyanka Bhalla, Director of Public Policy of Roblox; Gio Tingson, head of Public Policy of Meta Philippines; television personality and mental health advocate Kim Atienza; and Amihan Abueva, Regional Executive Director of Child Rights Coalition Asia.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. has also been invited to the event.
The learning session follows Defensor’s call for greater attention to the negative effects of unregulated social media use among learners, which he has identified as one of the factors contributing to mental distress among children.
“One of the best thing that happened to the information communication is cellphone… knowledge, education pero you have also lies there, patalang, fake news and we have to protect our children and our people from that. So, if you give your 15 year-old a cellphone, are you prepared to give him everything without controlling access sa tanan nga indi naton gusto makita?” Defensor said.
The governor, however, clarified that he is not advocating a ban on cellphones among students inside schools, recognizing their importance particularly during emergencies.
Instead, he stressed the responsibility of parents and guardians to teach children how to regulate cellphone use and prevent them from accessing websites and other online content inappropriate for their age.
Defensor has also emphasized the need for the provincial government to give mental health greater attention and intervention, citing the gravity of suicide cases in Iloilo.
He pointed out that while 10 deaths from typhoons in a year would already be considered a serious concern, the province records an average of around 70 suicide cases annually – a situation he considers a national emergency requiring immediate intervention.
The “Safe Minds, Safe Online” initiative is also linked to the provincial government’s 24/7 PRIME Mental Health Helpline launched on April 23, 2026.
The helpline may be reached through 0968-855-0997 for Smart subscribers and 0966-241-8133 for Globe subscribers. Residents may also email prime.iloilo1@gmail.com or send a message through the official PRIME Helpline Facebook page.
PRIME, or the Program for the Resilience of Iloilo in Mind and Emotion, is the provincial government’s mental health program providing crisis support, psychological first aid and referrals to communities across Iloilo./PN
